Giant Bass Crushing Swimbaits

What is it about the "tick" of a swimbait bite that keeps us coming back for more? There are a lot of other more productive things we could be doing but we find ourselves day after day, week after week, year after year, chasing big green fish around oversized ponds. Why? I don't know what it is for you but for me its got to be the hookset and the impact. In that moment I don't know if its a 2 lb bass or a 15 lb bass, it could even be an over-zealous catfish. But for that second, as I swing that rod up and to the right with all the force I can muster, I pray as fast as I can that when that rod loads up the fish will absorb the impact and pull back with equal force. That for me, is what its all about. Catching the fish, the photos, the videos, is all great but the thrill of the hookset is where all the adrenaline peaks.

There is nothing like slamming a hookset into a fish and feeling like you just hooked a brick wall. A fish so strong that you have to stop and look at the rod tip to make sure its not a snag. Then and only then does she start to shake her head and slowly make her way to deep water. For those that haven't experienced it, your turn is coming. For those that have, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

This video is dedicated to that moment of impact. These fish did exactly what I'm talking about. They bit hard and they battled harder. I hope you enjoy watching a bunch of big fish choking down swimbaits because that's what you're about to see. The main bait used to catch these fish was the 8" huddleston Deluxe. As always, the reel was spooled with braid and a 30 lb mono leader. The Rod was a Dobyns 807 Mag. These may seem like huge components to the average angler but look at how hard the fish are flexing the rod, its all about having the right tools for the job.

Fall Bass Fishing with Swimbaits

Since all of the recent posts have been dedicated to concepts and techniques I thought it was time to put up a post with some actual fish in it. These fish are a perfect example of what you can do with a swimbait in the fall.
Not only can you catch a lot of fish, but you can catch fish of all sizes. It doesn’t matter what part of the country you’re in, if the bass are actively pursuing baitfish a swimbait can help you put more fish in the boat. Its also important to note that though both of these baits are designed to imitate a trout, there are no trout in this particular late. Again, proving the theory that bass are willing to eat large meals, even if they don’t know exactly what they are.
The fish in this video were caught on a 8″ Huddleston Deluxe Swimbait and a 7″ Triple Trout Swimbait, both are available from Tackle Warehouse at the links provided. The 2nd to last fish in the video was just under 3 lbs so don’t feel like these baits are too big for the bass in your lakes.

Night Fishing 101: Swimbaits

A few short years ago the word “Swimbait” was virtually non-existent on the web. Today swimbaits are a hot topic on virtually every bass forum and the interest continues to rise. With all of the information out there its shocking how little has been spoken about fishing soft swimbaits at night. While I may not be the world’s leader on the topic I have seen my share of success and feel that I can shed some light where others have chosen to remain silent.
I intended to keep this video short and give a basic overview of the topic but as is often the case, I got to sharing information and the time went by quickly. The key tip to remember from this segment is that virtually any swimbait will work at night if you can cause the tail to kick at ultra-slow speed. Do not be afraid to modify your baits to achieve this and don’t get stuck on a particular brand.

While most of my largest night fish have come on swimbaits that are 7″ and longer, I have seen some absolute giants caught on smaller 5-6″ baits as well. Do not be afraid to experiment but remember that when all else fails, slow down. If you go slow enough, the bass will come to you.
If you’re in need of a few baits to help you get started with your night fishing adventure I recommend tackle warehouse. Four of the five baits I mentioned are available here: Swimbaits at Tacklewarehouse

Swimbaits Part 6: They Work

When we started this website the goal was to teach anglers everywhere how to catch more and bigger fish. My fear is that we are slowly getting off track. I don’t want this site to be about giant bass on the West coast. I want it to be about big fish (whatever that means to you) in whatever place you happen to be from. I firmly believe that the concepts taught here will apply to you, no matter where you are. I do however understand that to many anglers some of these principles seem far fetched.

I too started out with very little confidence in myself and even less confidence in giant baits. And perhaps you’re right, you may be from one of the few lakes where swimbaits just don’t seem to work like they should. However, it is much more likely that after you commit the time and figure out what you can do to tweak these techniques, that you will catch better quality fish more often.

This is a short clip geared toward reminding you that swimbaits work on “ordinary” fish too. Its not all about giant bass, its just about catching quality. On a day when I was catching 1-2 lb fish I was able to catch a little better fish by increasing the size of my bait. No matter where you live there is a bass in the lake capable of fitting a swimbait in its mouth. Notice also that this fish was caught with just the stock hook. No added hooks were needed to hook the fish. When a bass is in the mood to feed, nothing is going to stop it from getting at its prey.

I’d love to hear some stories from other anglers. I get quite a few emails, private messages, and calls from guys around the country telling me about the fish they’re catching on swimbaits. Its time to give back and share a little, encourage some of the other anglers that read the site that haven’t experienced your level of success yet. I don’t care if its an 8 lber or a 2 lber, let’s hear about it.